Safeguarding Policy Statement

1. Policy Statement

Lexden Wood Golf Club is committed to ensuring everyone participating in golf does so in a safe, welcoming, inclusive and enjoyable environment. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, including committee members, staff, volunteers, coaches, PGA professionals engaged by the Organisation, members, parents/carers and visitors. Individually and collectively, our actions help create a positive culture where concerns are recognised and addressed.

The Organisation recognises and fully adopts the England Golf’s safeguarding policies and procedures and adheres to their guidance and best practice, for children and young people and for adults. These national policies set expectations and guidance documents provide resources to support best practice across the game. Importantly, each golf organisation has its own duty of care and is responsible for implementing safeguarding arrangements that are appropriate to its activities, facilities and people.

We will do this by:

• Having the right people in place, with clear safeguarding leadership and accountability.
• Creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive culture and environment.
• Ensuring clear processes for recognising, responding, recording, and reporting concerns and allegations.
• Implementing safer recruitment and appropriate training for relevant roles.
• Working in partnership with parents and carers, statutory agencies, and England Golf where appropriate.
• Following England Golf guidance and procedures relevant to our activities and facilities.

2. Having the Right People in Place

Whilst everyone has a responsibility for safeguarding, the Organisation appoints a Safeguarding & Welfare Officer to provide leadership, advice, and coordination.

The Organisation’s Safeguarding & Welfare Officer:

• Acts as the first point of contact for children, parents and carers, adults, volunteers, and members with safeguarding questions or concerns.
• Supports the Club or Facility Committee/Management Group to implement and review safeguarding arrangements.
• Ensures concerns are recognised, responded to, recorded, and reported in line with organisational procedures, and escalated where appropriate.
• Promotes safer recruitment and role suitability checks for relevant roles.
• Coordinates safeguarding training and awareness within the organisation.
• Maintains links with England Golf safeguarding support and other relevant partners.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Specific responsibilities include:

4. Creating the Right Culture and Environment

All participants in golf, regardless of age, disability, sex, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or background, have the right to enjoy golf in an environment that is safe from abuse, bullying, harassment and poor practice.

We promote a culture where:

• Children and adults feel listened to and taken seriously.
• Respectful behaviour is expected and reinforced through codes of conduct.
• Concerns, including poor practice, can be raised early without fear of ridicule or retribution.
• Safeguarding is considered in planning sessions, events, travel, and use of changing facilities.
• We work in partnership with parents and carers, with clear communication about expectations and arrangements.

5. Responding and Reporting to Safeguarding Concerns

Anyone can raise a safeguarding concern. It is not the responsibility of Organisation members, employees or volunteers to investigate concerns; it is their responsibility to recognise, respond appropriately, record and report.

Our approach is based on the 4 Rs:

Where appropriate, the Lexden Wood Golf Club Safeguarding & Welfare Officer will liaise with England Golf safeguarding support and/or statutory agencies (such as Children’s Social Care, Adult Social Care or the Police).

Key contacts

6. Safer Recruitment and Training

The Organisation is committed to safer recruitment and ensuring people in positions of trust are suitable and appropriately supported. This includes role descriptions, references, appropriate checks (including DBS eligibility where relevant), induction, and safeguarding training proportionate to the role.

We will:

• Identify roles that involve working with children or adults at risk and ensure appropriate recruitment checks are completed.
• Ensure understanding of the codes of conduct and how to report concerns. Encourage regular safeguarding training and maintain training records.

7. Confidentiality and Information Sharing

We handle safeguarding information sensitively and share it only with those who need to know in order to keep people safe and to support appropriate action. Records are stored securely in line with data protection requirements.

8. Application in Other Jurisdictions

Where an affiliated organisation is established outside England, references in this policy to legislation, statutory guidance, public authorities or safeguarding processes specific to England shall be read as references to the applicable legal and regulatory framework of the jurisdiction in which that organisation operates.

Nothing in this document alters the safeguarding standards, responsibilities or expectations set out in this policy. It is intended solely to recognise that affiliated organisations may operate under different legal frameworks while maintaining the safeguarding standards required by England Golf.

England Golf may publish supplementary jurisdiction-specific guidance where this is considered necessary.

9. Commitment Statement

Lexden Wood Golf Club is committed to this Safeguarding Policy Statement and will review it, together with England Golf policies, procedures and guidance documents at least annually and after any significant safeguarding incident or change in guidance.

10. Appendix

• Lexden Wood Golf Club
• Bakers Lane, Colchester CO3 4AU
• info@lexdenwood.co.uk

Policy location: website and noticeboard.